


For a Charm of Powerful Trouble

by serenityabrin



Category: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dark themes consistent with canon, Mission Fic, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-08-27
Packaged: 2018-08-09 23:44:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7821859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenityabrin/pseuds/serenityabrin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben divides his time between being a university student and helping Hansel, Gretel, and Mina hunt witches.  For their latest case, people with Soulmarks have begun disappearing.  As the only one of their hunting group with a Soulmark, Ben finds himself right in the middle of the danger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For a Charm of Powerful Trouble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AngeNoir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngeNoir/gifts).



Five minutes to the end of Ben's shift, he looked up to see Hansel wander through the door and up to the counter where Ben was.  "Hey, what are you doing here?"

 

Hansel glanced around them, and then casually said, "There's a meeting tonight.  Thought you could use a ride."

 

Understanding the underlying message, Ben also looked around to see who was in hearing distance.  One of his coworkers was putting books onto a cart at the far end of the checkout desk and there was a student browsing the announcements on the bulletin board.

 

Unable to speak freely, Ben said, "You couldn't call?  Something, um, urgent happen?"

 

Hansel shrugged.  "No reason to wait."

 

Ben rolled his eyes.  "Give me a minute."

 

"I'll be outside," Hansel said.

 

Making sure his coworker would cover the main desk, Ben grabbed his bookbag from the backroom and raced out the door.

 

"So, what's up?" he asked before he'd even shut the car door.

 

Hansel turned so he could back the car out of the parking spot.  "We've put together a new case, here in Augsburg."

 

"Really?  I haven't heard anything."

 

Behind his sunglasses, Hansel glanced Ben's way.  "You do remember that we were working cases before you came along, right?  They didn't just appear out of the blue."

 

Ben flushed.  "I didn't mean it like that."

 

Hansel smiled.  "I know that, kid.  Don't worry about it."

 

"So, what's the case?" Ben asked.

 

"The usual.  Bunch of mysterious disappearances.  I'll let Gretel outline it for you."  Hansel didn't sound too concerned but then he was usually pretty blasé about all his hunts -- at least outwardly.  Ben could never tell what he actually felt about a case.  For some hunts, Hansel triple-checked his weapons and went over the attack plan a dozen times.  For others, he seemed content to just wing it.

 

Trying to get a better sense of the situation, Ben said, "And it was in Augsburg?  That's odd.  I haven't heard anything here.  A rash of disappearances would be big news."

 

"I imagine it would be but this one . . . well, it's a little different.  It's probably best to let Gretel go over the details," Hansel said.

 

Ben wanted to know now but he knew it was pointless to badger Hansel.  Hansel wasn't going to step on Gretel's toes.  Wanting to do something, Ben pulled out his phone to see if he could find any of the disappearances himself.

 

"So, how's university going?" Hansel asked.

 

Distracted by his phone, Ben said, "Fine.  No final tests this semester but a bunch of papers due."

 

"You going to need some time for that?"

 

Hansel sounded casual, but his question made Ben focus.  "Hunting witches is more important than university."

 

"I don't think your mother would agree with that," Hansel said dryly.

 

"Well, she won't have to worry.  Unlike you, I don't wait for the last minute on everything.  I've got two of my papers already done and a third halfway there.  I'm sure I can knock out the other one in a few hours if I have to.  Doesn't really matter if it's any good.  I'll pass either way.  How long do you think this new case will take?"

 

Hansel only shrugged.  Ben bit back a sigh of frustration, hating how Hansel dangled tidbits in front of him but never gave the full story.  He knew Hansel was aware of how much it bugged him so he was sure Hansel did it on purpose now.

 

At least Gretel always answered his questions.

 

The drive to Mina's herb shop wasn't too long.  Hansel parked the car and Ben jumped out.  Not bothering to wait for him, Ben approached the side door and found it unlocked.

 

One of the first times he'd come here, he'd rushed to open the door without announcing himself and met the business end of Gretel's gun.  So, even though he knew Gretel and Mina were likely expecting them, Ben still knocked quickly before he let himself in.

 

Above the store itself Mina had an office and apartment for herself as well as a set of rooms Hansel and Gretel used whenever they weren't traveling.  As expected, Gretel and Mina were already in the office.

 

"So, what's the case?" Ben asked as soon as he entered the room.

 

"Hello to you too," Gretel said, giving him an amused smile.  She was standing on one side of the conference table they used to strategize hunts, a mess of papers spread out before her.  Ben reached for one of the nearest ones but wasn't surprised when Gretel slapped his hand away.

 

"I hope Hansel wasn't too pushy when he picked you up," Mina said as Hansel finally walked in behind Ben.

 

Ben settled in the chair opposite her, and gratefully took the proffered plate she handed him.  Mina was always good about having food at the ready when Ben was around.  As a starving university student, he appreciated that immensely.

 

"Nah, my shift was basically over."  Ben had to bite his tongue to ask again about the case.  As far as he could see, the only thing he was bringing to their group was being able to spot witch activity for Gretel and Hansel to take out.  Mina provided blessings and raw materials, and occasionally joined them if they needed an assist with magic.  Ben had none of that to offer, and it had taken a lot of fancy talking to even get to this point.

 

If there was a major case he'd missed, he wanted to know about it.

 

"Down to it then."  At least Gretel wasn't one to waste time.  She immediately turned on the projector that showed her computer screen.  A picture of a pretty young woman, perhaps 19 or 20 years old, was right in the center of the screen.

 

"This is Emma Schmidt.  While we were working the Water Witch case, we were told by the locals that she'd gone missing.  They grouped her in with the other missing children in the area, but we quickly ruled her out as she was too old to be one of the victims there.  But we did look into the disappearance before we made that determination."

 

"I remember that," Ben said.  "You had me look up her online activity and travel plans.  She came up clean."

 

"That's what we thought too."  While he spoke, Hansel snatched a cookie off Ben's plate and then smiled at him as he shoved it into his mouth.

 

Rolling his eyes, Ben turned back to Gretel and the projector.  A new face was up now, showing a young man about the same age as Emma.

 

"Peter Haas, age 22, disappeared two months after Emma but over ninety kilometers away."  Gretel pressed a button and another picture popped up.  "Johann Keller, also age 22, was reported missing ten weeks later."  Another click and another picture.  "And a month after that, Maria Wagner also disappeared while on vacation in France."

 

Apparently impatient with the listing, Hansel grabbed the pile of papers on the table and plopped them down in front of Ben.  "All told, we've found eleven cases of missing persons between the ages of 18 and 25."

 

Ben snatched the papers up and quickly flipped through them.  They were standard missing persons files showing six women and five men.  Ben noted they were from all over the country.  "And you think they're all connected.  Why?  They don't look to have anything in common."

 

"We thought that too but it's not true," Mina said.  "They all have Soulmarks."

 

Ben frowned.  "Well, that's not too unusual.  Lots of people have Soulmarks."

 

"But not everyone," Gretel said.  "And there's a fairly narrow window where someone with a Soulmark hasn't found his or her mate."

 

"Really?" Ben wasn't sure he believed that.  It felt like a lot of his friends with Soulmarks were still looking.  There were even dating sites to help the Soulmarked find each other.  If it was so common, surely that wouldn't be a thing.

 

As if he was reading Ben's mind, Hansel said, "You're right in the age where most people find their Soulmates.  In another ten years, it'll be almost impossible to find someone your own age who doesn't know who their Soulmate is.  Statistically, Soulmates are very likely to find each other."

 

"Which is good for us," Gretel said.

 

Ben was again surprised.  "Why?"

 

"Soulmarks are divine," Mina said.  "That makes them very attractive to witches.  Witches are never born with Soulmarks, not even White Witches like me.  We do not have access to this sign of the divine.  Dark witches want the power inherent in a Soulmark.  Just as they consume children to steal the strength of innocence, they consume Soulmarks to steal the power of divinity.  Dark witches have always targeted those with Marks.  It is partially where the stigma of being old and unmatched comes from."

 

"But if it's divine, how can witches consume it?" Ben asked.

 

"They do some of their hocus pocus to it first," Hansel said.

 

Gretel added, "And the act of consuming human flesh also perverts the Mark enough to allow them to do it.  It's not easy but it greatly increases their power."

 

"It only works for those who have not Bonded with their Mate though," Mina said.  "If the Bond is complete, then it cannot be perverted by a witch's spells.  It is too strong."  Mina tapped the paper in front of Ben.  "These poor souls were all unBonded and very appealing to dark witches."

 

Ben looked again at the young faces in the pictures and felt an uneasy twist in his guts.  "So . . . they're all dead?"

 

"Probably," Hansel said.

 

"Eleven is already too many," Gretel said.  "We have a witch to stop."

 

That much was obvious, but Ben still frowned.  "I still don't understand why you think they're all connected.  They're from all over.  Even if witches want unBonded Soulmarked, I don't think that's enough to say for certain all these disappearances are witch-related."  Ben glanced at Hansel.  "Hansel said this case was based here in Augsburg.  Maria wasn't even in the country at the time."

 

He looked questioningly at Gretel and Mina.

 

"It has been a difficult case to piece together," Mina said.  "But the fact that these people are all unBonded Soulmarked is not the only thing they have in common."

 

While she was speaking, Gretel brought up a website on her computer.  Projected on the wall was the homepage for _Soul Finders, Inc_.

 

"Have you heard of this company?" Gretel asked.

 

Ben frowned.  He couldn't imagine what a multi-national company could have to do with these disappearances, especially a company that was basically a matchmaking service.  "Yeah, of course.  There's a satellite office by the coffee shop.  They hire interns from the university.  I know a couple people who work there."

 

" _Soul Finders_ is a huge company that hires thousands of employees all over the world," Gretel said.  "It is also the connection between our missing persons.  Every one of the victims registered with the company within a week before their disappearances -- registered at the exact satellite office you spoke of."

 

Surprised, Ben said, "You think a witch has infiltrated the organization?"  A worse thought then occurred to Ben.  "Or they set up the company in the first place?"

 

The idea of witches operating out in the open in such a way to find their victims was both brilliant and horrifying.  The victims were scattered all over the country, and no one would think twice about them registering for a Soulmate-finding site.  Lots of people did that these days, especially young people.

 

Thankfully, Hansel shook his head.  "We think it's a coven who's taken over the Augsburg office but no more than that.  At least, there's no evidence contrary to that just yet."

 

"But this might end up being really big," Gretel said.  She pulled up a familiar looking diagram on her computer.  "I did a little more digging into the chart you found.  It details the Blood Moon, an important date on the witch's calendar.  It's coming up soon."

 

"The Massacre of Sevens, the 1683 St. John's Cathedral Fire, the Children's Revolt, the Freemason Fire -- they all happened during a Blood Moon."  Mina shook her head sadly.  "Some of their most powerful spells can only be performed during the Blood Moon."

 

"Which means we've got to be ready for something major," Hansel said.

 

Gretel nodded.  "If I'm right, I think they need twelve unBonded people for whatever spell they're working on: six women and six men.  Each of the missing persons was born in a different month.  That leaves one unBonded man born in April."

 

All three of them looked at Ben, who realized with a sinking feeling that he fit that description exactly.

 

"Congratulations, kid," Hansel said.  "You're finally going to get out in the field."

 

Ben sputtered for a few seconds as he finally caught on.  "You want to use me as bait?"

 

Yes, he did want to go out on hunts with Hansel and Gretel.  He'd dreamed of being a witch hunter ever since he's pieced together that witches were real.  Having met Hansel and Gretel, he was even more determined.  He wanted to be able to watch their backs and keep them safe.  He hated waiting on the sidelines, only to have them return bloodied and bruised.

 

The only reason he hadn't marched off after them so far was because he knew he'd likely get in the way and just endanger them.  He didn't intend for that to be an eternal truth though.  He was going to join them eventually.

 

Being bait wasn't what he had in mind though.

 

Mina gave him a sympathetic look, though she might have misinterpreted his misgivings.  "You are right to be concerned.  It is very dangerous.  We cannot risk arming you and giving away that you know something of dark witches.  If any of us had a Soulmark, we would not ask this of you.  But you don't need to fear.  Either Gretel or Hansel will be with you at all times.  We will not leave you unprotected."

 

"That's not--"

 

"I know this isn't what you want," Gretel said.  "And I know you don't really believe us when we tell you that your research is every bit as valuable as burning a witch in the field, but that is the truth.  And this is true too: we need to get out in front of this.  We can't afford to wait for the next person to disappear or to comb through all their records to figure out who their next target will be.  _Soul Finders_ is huge.  This satellite office must have hundreds of clients, and I'm sure there will be a number that fit our criteria."

 

"Scattered all over the country," Hansel added.

 

Gretel nodded.  "And we don't have the manpower to protect them all.  Our best hope is to tempt the dark witches with our own choice.  You at least know what to expect.  You know things about witches the three of us don't even know.  Would it really be fair to risk someone who has no idea what's going on?"

 

Ben knew the answer was no.  It wasn't fear that made him hesitate, not exactly.  He was itching to take on a witch or two and show his mettle.

 

No, his hesitation was something else entirely.

 

But it wasn't something he could name here and Gretel did have a point.  "So . . . What exactly am I going to be doing?"

 

At his capitulation, the other three relaxed and Ben wondered what kind of reaction they expected from him.  Mina said, "We've set up an appointment for you today."

 

"Today?" Ben's voice cracked in surprise, something he'd thought he was well over with now.

 

Hansel grinned at him, but Gretel was solemn when she said, "The Blood Moon is almost upon us.  We can't afford to wait another minute."  She looked at Mina as she continued where Mina had begun.  "We've set up an appointment for today.  You're just going to be yourself: university student who's finally ready to find your Soulmate.  I don't think there's anything you can't answer honestly.  Once you're in their database, we'll see if we get any bites."

 

"I'll be staying with you tonight, kid," Hansel said.  "And Gretel will take you to university tomorrow."

 

The uneasy feeling in Ben's gut grew but he did his best to tamp it down.  "What if they don't go for me?"

 

"While Hansel is with you tonight, Mina and I will continue researching.  If the worst comes to pass and we do not stop the witches from claiming a twelfth victim, we know they still need to perform their ritual during the Blood Moon.  We must figure out where that will be," Gretel said.

 

Mina nodded. "And maybe even what they're trying to do.  It's possible there could be a counter-spell but we'd have to have some sense of what they're after."

 

"I can help with research." Ben was great with research.  His job at the library gave him access to a bunch of rare texts the university owned.  It was one of the reasons he'd picked it for his job.

 

Both Gretel and Mina shook their heads.  "You must be the most average of university students for the next week," Mina said.  "We do not know how much surveillance the witches will do before trying to take you.  We cannot tip them off that you are a hunter."

 

Ben did like that Mina called him a hunter, even if he didn't particularly feel like one sometimes.  Still, he wasn't entirely happy with the plan.  How on earth was he supposed to go on about his daily business when he was going to be constantly thinking about this case?  Especially as most of his days were spent looking up witch activity anyway.

 

"Won't Hansel and Gretel's presence tip them off?" he asked.

 

Hansel flashed him another grin.  "Don't worry.  We've had to go undercover before.  They're not actually that hard to fool."

 

Looking from one to the other, Ben didn't feel at ease.  Gretel gave him a concerned look and gently asked, "Okay?"

 

Ben couldn't articulate why he didn't want to do this so he merely nodded.

 

Slapping his hands on the table, Hansel got to his feet.  "Alright.  Let's get going."  Still feeling unsettled, Ben followed after at a slower pace.

 

*****

 

The drive to _Soul Finders_ was as short as the one from the library.  Neither Hansel nor Ben had said much beyond Hansel giving the particulars of the appointment.  Ben felt he had no time to think at all and suddenly he was standing on his own in the lobby of the small office building.

 

"Hello, can I help you?"

 

Ben looked up at the receptionist.  Her spiky hair was the most noticeable thing about her, but she appeared to be an average university kid.  Ben didn't know her but he wouldn't be surprised if she was a student.  The university was big after all.

 

Mustering up a smile and whatever confidence he could, Ben approached.  "Yeah, I have an appointment."

 

"Ben Walser, right?" The receptionist smiled and stood up.  "We've been expecting you."

 

Ben wished that didn't sound so ominous to him.  There might be witches here, but he highly doubted they'd be the front agent or even the _Soul Finders_ receptionist.  Dark witches weren't exactly known for their social graces after all.  Ben was clearly overreacting.

 

He let the receptionist usher him into a smaller office where a professional-looking redhead was sitting behind a desk.  She too smiled when she saw him.  "You must be Ben." She stood up and shook his hand.  "I'm Anna.  It's a pleasure to meet you."

 

"Um, you too."

 

Her smile warmed, perhaps sensing his discomfort.  "Please have a seat and we'll go over your paperwork."

 

Awkwardly, Ben took the seat opposite her desk while she also sat back down.  She grabbed a folder and opened it.  "Here is the online application you filled out.  Could you go over it and make sure all the information is accurate."

 

Ben took the paper she handed him, a little curious to see what Gretel had provided.  He saw his name, birthdate, and both his parents' address and his one here in Augsburg in the first box.  Below that was information about his parents and their Soulmark status.

 

He nodded and handed the paper back.  "Looks good."

 

"Excellent.  Then I just wanted to go over the process with you.  Here at _Soul Finders_ , we're very committed to connecting Soulmates to each other.  With the global community expanding everyday, the likelihood that your Soulmate could be in another country has increased.  We're here to help make sure you make a soul connection."

 

Ben's eyes glazed slightly as he listened to her spiel, sure she'd said the same thing a dozen times today.  A part of him squirmed to hear it.  His parents had encountered each other at an airport when his dad had missed his flight.  His mom had told him that she'd just felt drawn to his dad.  A month later, they touched for the first time and their Soulmarks had been completed.

 

The thought of letting some computer program discover the person who was meant to be the other half of his soul rubbed him the wrong way.

 

"It's my understanding that Soulmarks are hard to match.  The two halves don't actually line up like puzzle pieces," Ben said.

 

Anna continued to smile, unperturbed by his reluctance.  "You're right.  A Soulmark is only complete when the Soulbond is formed.  But, that's where our state-of-the-art program comes in.  Our engineers have researched thousands of Soulmarks to provide a list of potential matches.  We've had a 92.6% accuracy rate in matching Soulmarks on the first try."

 

As she spoke, Anna took out a laminated chart.  It showed two symbols.  They appeared to be halves of the same heart, which Ben knew was _Soul Finders'_ logo.  "As you can see, these two symbols appear to match up identically."  She folded the paper and showed that the edges of the two hearts were actually slightly different and didn't line up.  "They don't though.  However, the overall picture of the heart is still obvious.  Our engineers have figured out how to see what the big picture is going to be and then work out which marks are most likely to fill it."

 

Ben was sure there was more to it than that.  He'd never seen a Soulmark as simplistic as the one Anna was holding up, but he understood the underlying principle.  There was a bit of 'negative space' in a Soulmark.  When the bond happened, not only did your Soulmate's Mark show on your own skin but the negative space was filled in too.  It was clear _Soul Finders_ was peddling the idea they could figure out the negative space.

 

Ben was still dubious, but he nodded his understanding.

 

Putting the chart down, Anna smiled.  "Our process is very simple.  We have a special scanner that we'll use to copy your Soulmark into our database.  Our proprietary hardware will scan your Mark to the minutest detail, which will increase the odds that our algorithms will find your Soulmate for you quickly.  May I ask where your Soulmark is located?"

 

"Um, it's on my hip."

 

"Oh, I'm afraid our only male technician is out for the day.  Are you comfortable having a woman scan you?"

 

Silently, Ben cursed Hansel.  He couldn't quite bring himself to think this was Gretel or Mina's faults, but he was sure Hansel was to blame somehow.  "How big is the scanner?"

 

"Not big.  It's about the size of a handheld supermarket scanner.  We use it in the same way."

 

Ben relaxed.  "That should be fine then."

"Why don't we get started then?" Anna got up and led Ben to an exam room.  It looked very much like the one Ben's doctor used.  There was a medical bed with the paper sheet on it.  Instead of health charts, there were charts about different kinds of Soulmarks and the Bonding process.

 

While Ben looked around, Anna moved to the sink and began to wash her hands.  "Are you allergic to latex?" she asked.  Ben shook his head, and she then took out a pair of latex gloves from a box on the counter.

 

Offering him a smile, she said, "Alright, let's see how we want to do this.  Why don't you show me your Mark?"

 

Ben hesitated before pulling up his shirt with one hand and tugging down one side of his shorts.  His Mark was below his hipbone.  Glancing down at it, he saw the usual silvery design.  He hadn't looked at it closely since it had come in when he was fourteen.

 

"That's a very lovely Mark," Anna praised, although Ben was sure she said that to everyone.

 

It was hard to see from this angle but Ben knew the basic design.  From a distance, it looked like he had three tear-drop shaped dots set in a grid pattern.  The point of each tear-drop pointed towards the center and created a cross in the space between them.  Ben always figured his Mate likely had the inverse pattern so that the empty cross would be completed.

 

"Why don't you have a seat," Anna said, gesturing Ben towards the medical bed.  "I think it will be easier to scan you that way."

 

As Ben hopped up on the bed, Anna put on her gloves and pulled out a small machine from the corner.  It didn't look very intimidating, being about the size of a microwave.  It looked like the ultrasound machines Ben had seen on medical TV shows.

 

"To get a good scan, it's best if you don't move and if your skin is taut.  So, why don't you put your left hand under your head and roll this way slightly?"

 

Ben did as he was bid, feeling silly.  Anna flipped a switch on the scanner and pulled out a handheld scanner.  It was a little broader than a standard supermarket version but it did look remarkably similar.

 

After shifting Ben's shirt out of the way, Anna used her thumb to keep his shorts low enough so she had room to scan his Mark.

 

She never actually had the device touch his skin as she passed it over the area of his hip.  Her focus was on a little computer monitor attached to the machine as she very slowly moved the scanner.

 

"Okay, that look's great.  But just to be sure, we'll take a second image," Anna said a minute later.  She repeated the same procedure once more, and then it was all over.  Ben wondered if all this was necessary or if it was just more games to make people feel that company had actual science and wasn't just making educated guesses.

 

Sitting up, Ben watched as Anna pressed a few buttons on the machine to see how the images had turned out.  When she saw him looking, she smiled and said, "Would you like to see?"

 

She didn't wait for his answer, but stood up and walked to the desk in the room that had a computer on it.  With a few clicks of her mouse, she transferred the image so Ben could see it on the larger monitor.  Anna used a magnifying program to enlarge one of the tear-drop shapes.  Ben knew they weren't solid or perfectly shaped tear-drops but it was actually kind of cool to see the little details up close.  It looked like they were made up of Celtic knots.

 

"There's a lot to work with on this Mark.  I'm sure we'll find your Soulmate in no time."

 

That was probably what everyone who came to _Soul Finders_ wanted to hear but her words brought Ben up short.  The stone in his stomach returned, and he just wanted to leave.

 

"So, is that it?" he asked.

 

Anna said, "That's it.  We'll send you an update in about a week with any potential matches."

 

Turning off the machine, Anna took off her gloves and ushered Ben back out to the lobby.  "We've already run your credit so you're all set.  It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Walser.  Don't forget to check your email in the coming week."

 

After shaking her hand, Ben was finally able to leave.  He met up with Hansel around the corner.  "So, how'd it go?"

 

"I hate you," Ben said.

 

Hansel laughed.  "Come on.  I'll buy you dinner.  That'll make you feel better."

 

Rolling his eyes, Ben nonetheless leaned into Hansel when the other man threw an arm over his shoulder as they walked to the car.

 

*****

 

Ben was of the opinion that Hansel was a ridiculous human being.  It was true that Ben's tiny studio apartment was not large enough for a couch and a bed at the same time.  It was also true that his bed was too tiny for two grown men, not unless there was some seriously spooning going on.

 

But the fact that Hansel's answer to that was to lay out a blanket and sleep on the floor right next to Ben's bed seemed silly.  Ben did have an old reclining chair, and he'd fallen asleep in it more than once while watching a late night marathon.  If Hansel didn't feel comfortable sleeping in it, Ben was fine doing so.

 

Hansel insisted that he'd slept on harder floors and he was used to it.  "Besides, you have finals coming up.  You're going to need your beauty rest," he said.

 

Since Ben had already said he only had papers due and Hansel had just watched Ben spend the rest of the evening working on one, he manfully did not rise to the obvious bait.

 

"It's your back," Ben said and settled into bed.

 

Hansel chuckled.  Ben watched him prowl the apartment one last time to check that it was secure before settling himself on the floor.

 

Unable to help himself, Ben said, "Are you _sure_ you're okay there?"

 

"Go to sleep, Ben."

 

Sighing, Ben rolled over and tried to do just that.  The minutes ticked by slowly though.  Ben wasn't surprised that Hansel's breathing became even and deep fairly quickly.  He must be used to sleeping in strange places and catching what rest he could when the opportunity presented itself.

 

Sleep was more elusive for Ben.  Carefully rolling over again, Ben peaked over the side of his bed.  Hansel lay sprawled on the floor but it was too dark to make out his features. 

 

That uneasy feeling from earlier came back.  Ben glanced at the window but there was no sign of anything outside.  With the faint light coming in, Ben could see Hansel's gun just within reach.  Nothing was going to happen to Ben without Hansel's say-so, which Ben had every faith in.

 

Shifting to lay flat on his back, Ben knew it wasn't concern for his safety that made him uneasy.  What if this _Soul Finders_ was legitimate and did end up finding him a Soulmate?  It sounded bizarre even to him, but he actually didn't want that to happen.

 

When Ben had been little, he'd wanted a Soulmark like his parents had.  They were everything Soulmates should be.  They complimented each other perfectly, and even after all the ups and downs of marriage, they were still very much in love.  Ben wanted that for himself.  He wanted to find that one special person for him, so he was over-the-moon when his Soulmark finally came in.  Only half the population had Soulmarks.  Being the son of a Bonded couple didn't guarantee anything.

 

There was such relief in knowing that even if things weren't going well right now and his off-the-wall interests were isolating him, there was still someone out there who would still love him just for him.  Someone out there would share the things he loved.  He wasn't alone.

 

But then he'd met Mina, Gretel, and Hansel.

 

Mina was an actual witch.  She could perform magic spells.  She was well over a century old and still looked as young as Gretel.  Not only that, she was just a very nice person.  Even when Ben felt he was beginning to annoy Gretel and Hansel, Mina was never anything but patient and encouraging.

 

Ben was happy to say it wasn't just one-sided either.  Hansel had once made a teasing remark that Ben only found Mina interesting because of her witchcraft.  While Ben knew Hansel didn't believe that, he'd feared he'd given that impression and rushed to reassure Mina that wasn't the case.

 

" _I know that_ ," she'd said.  " _I don't mind answering your questions, Benjamin.  Indeed . . . It means a great deal to me that you can see me for what I am and it only draws you closer._ "

 

Ben was still getting used to Mina at the time and her sometimes old-fashioned way of speaking, but he understood what she meant.  Mina had had a hard time earning Gretel and Hansel's trust.  They'd spent most of their hunting career unaware that there were good witches out there.  It had taken a lot of time for Mina to prove she was a firm ally.

 

Even beyond Hansel and Gretel's initial prejudice, the fact was that most witches actually were evil.  White Witches like Mina were vanishingly rare.  Modern entertainment might be content with painting witches with a gentler brush but if a regular person met a witch in real life, he would absolutely run and with good reason.

 

So, it made sense that Mina appreciated that Ben understood the dangers of a real witch but also understood that she wasn't that kind of witch.  Ben made sure to do everything in his power to let Mina know he thought she was amazing just as she was.

 

Ben would be very happy if Mina turned out to be his Soulmate, and he was disappointed to now learn that witches didn't have Soulmates.

 

Mina wasn't his only choice though.

 

As amazing as Mina was, it did take some time for Ben to see her as a potential mate.  Not so with Gretel.  No, he'd known as soon as he'd seen Gretel that she was awesome.

 

Ben had been hunting down a witch lead on his own, still in the period of research where he wasn't completely sure witches were real.  He hadn't even gotten close before he saw Gretel and Hansel in an all-out brawl with a witch.  She'd taken to a broom and caused trees to grow instantaneously as a barrier against the hunters.  There was no question she was a witch, and Ben had just stood there agog to have proof that his crazy hunches weren't his imagination run wild.

 

Gretel had owned that fight.  She and Hansel had worked well as a team but Gretel had been the one in position for a bit of hand-to-hand fighting and to deliver the killing blow.  Bloody and covered in dirt, she had looked magnificent.

 

Ben had heard rumblings of witch hunters before that moment.  He'd even uncovered a few carefully worded mentions of Gretel and Hansel.  He hadn't been expecting to meet either of them right then, and he'd completely geeked out.

 

Gretel completely blew him away, and it had only gotten better from there.  While Hansel had no time for wannabes, Gretel indulged Ben's curiosity.  Even better, Ben soon discovered that Gretel shared his love of research.  They could spend hours working to put together the pieces of a hunting puzzle.  She wasn't fascinated by magic the way he was, but she liked to know her enemy.  Ben loved when he managed to impress her by digging up some obscure resource that helped them defeat their latest foe.

 

" _I've been doing this since I was a kid, Ben_ ," she'd said on more than one occasion.  " _And I still don't know how you manage to figure this all out._ "

 

Ben couldn't ask for a better mate than Gretel, but he feared she thought of him as a little brother.  She did sometimes treat him the way she treated Hansel.

 

Hansel was icing on the cake.  Hardened and hard to know, Ben had appreciated Hansel's battle prowess and his experience but it had taken a long time for Ben to see under that to how deeply Hansel cared about Mina and Gretel.  Indeed, how deeply Hansel cared in general.  From the small children witches like to feed on to the orneriest old man a witch cursed for the fun of it, Hansel took all their cases very personally.  He hid it behind a mask of jaded world-weariness, but Ben knew it could still knock him on his ass.

 

One time, Ben had been startled when he'd caught Hansel after a particularly bad hunt.  Usually Hansel liked to drink himself unconscious when things went badly, but this time he'd ripped apart a motel room in spectacular fashion.  Ben had found him just sitting in the middle of the ruin.  He looked like a man who had reached his limit and had no more to give.

 

But the next day he was right back at it, and Ben had a whole new appreciation of him.

 

Hansel at least had no problem with Ben in the field.  Whenever the subject came up, Hansel reminded Gretel that they had already been hunting witches for years when they were Ben's age.  Gretel still tried to dissuade Ben from their life, and Ben understood that.  Hansel and Gretel were clearly haunted by some of the things they'd seen.  Gretel was too good-hearted to want anyone else to suffer that.

 

Hansel took the measure of Ben early on though, and he knew there was no dissuading him.  " _You're nuts to want this life_ ," he'd said. " _But then we hunt witches for a living.  It's not like we have a leg to stand on here._ "  Ben appreciated that Hansel saw him as a capable and expected him to hold his own.

 

Gretel, Hansel, Mina -- Ben could admit in the privacy of his own head that he loved all three of them.  Any one of them would be everything Ben could ever want in a Soulmate.  None of them had a Soulmark though, and Ben's childhood desire was confused.

 

Now he was signed up to find that other half of him he'd been promised the moment his Soulmark had appeared.  Could there really be someone even more perfect than the three people he already loved?  Ben couldn't imagine it.

 

In fact, the idea of someone else made his stomach tighten.  He realized he didn't want anyone else.

 

Rolling back onto his side, Ben decided it was best not to think about it.  He was in love with three people at the same time.  That was more than enough to worry about.  He'd just have to hope that no matches were found.

 

*****

 

Three days after signing up with _Soul Finders_ , another young man went missing.  "He has an April birthday and signed up a day before Ben." Gretel's voice was a little tinny over the speakerphone.

 

"And you're sure that he didn't just wander off?" Ben asked.

 

"Not yet, but I'm going to look into it some more.  Go to class.  I'm sure we'll know more when you get out," Gretel said.

 

Ben frowned.  Nothing important was going to happen in the last class of the semester anyway.  He'd much rather help Gretel research.

 

"You heard the lady," Hansel said, leaving Ben no room to argue.

 

Not usually a clock-watcher, Ben kept glancing at his watch during the entire class period.  As if he knew Ben had something more important to be doing, the professor actually went five minutes over.

 

The second the class ended, Ben shoved his book in his bag and was out the door.  Hansel was leaning against a wall at the end of the hall and currently on the phone.  He held up a hand to forestall Ben's questions.

 

"Yeah, no that is weird.  I think we should both be there." Hansel looked at his own watch.  "I can be there in thirty minutes.  No, I think it's definitive enough that it didn't work.  He'll be fine on campus for a few hours.  It's not even noon yet."

 

Having a sense of where this was going, Ben opened his mouth to protest but Hansel was ending the call, "Okay, I'll see you there."

 

"I don't need to stay here.  My next class isn't for another two hours."

 

Pocketing his phone, Hansel said, "It's gotta be just Gretel and me this time.  Mina thinks she's uncovered the coven's location for their spell.  There's been a rash of animal killings and strange symbols at a farm outside Augsburg.  Gretel and I are going to go undercover and check it out."

 

"I'm great with strange symbols." Ben fell into step with Hansel as they walked outside.  "I should go too."

 

Hansel shook his head.  "There's local police involved and it's out in the open.  I'm sorry, but you'd stand out like a sore thumb."

 

"That's not--"

 

Hansel turned and interrupted, "Look, Ben, I know it's been annoying to sit on your hands for the last few days.  Believe me, I know how much that sucks.  But, it looks like the coven didn't fall for our bait and they have all the ingredients they need now.  The Blood Moon is tomorrow night.  I really think they're going to try some serious shit, and we have to be ready.  Gretel and I will look into the farm now when it's daylight and the witches aren't likely to be there.  If it turns out to be the right location, then we'll go back at night and blow them away.  We'll need all hands on deck then.  Okay?"

 

Unhappy, Ben nonetheless nodded.

 

Hansel clapped him on the back.  "Good.  Mina's still gathering supplies at her wholesaler.  That'll take her a couple of hours but when she gets back, if Gretel and I aren't finished, you can help her look into the spell.  Until then, stay somewhere public."

 

"You really think the witches would still come after me?" Ben asked.

 

"No sense taking chances.  They're not going to attack in broad daylight on a busy campus.  They can't afford that kind of publicity."

 

Reaching Hansel's car, Ben said, "I suppose not."

 

"You have something to do to keep yourself occupied for a bit?" Hansel asked.

 

Ben hesitated and then said, "I can use one of the computer labs and finish my last paper, I guess."

 

"Great.  We'll get a hold of you if we learn anything new.  Don't do anything stupid in the meantime."

 

Ben made a face at Hansel, which earned him a grin in return.  Hansel hopped into his car, waved at Ben, and then took off.

 

Watching him disappear into traffic, Ben sighed.  He hated being sidelined but he understood that he didn't have the skills yet to help out the way he wanted.

 

But that didn't mean he couldn't acquire those skills.  Turning away from the parking lot, Ben headed towards the computer lab but then paused.  His last paper was mostly done anyway and he knew he'd spend more time fretting about Hansel and Gretel than actually proofreading.

 

He waffled for a moment and then changed direction towards the campus gym.

 

Over the last few months, Ben had spent an increasing amount of time at the gym.  He'd been in a rifle club ever since he'd been old enough to join so he was already a good shot, but he did spend a lot of his time behind a computer or nose-deep in rare books.  If he was really going to help the others out, then he was going to need to get into shape.

 

An hour running would be a great way to keep him from going crazy waiting.

 

Feeling better for the decision, Ben took the long way toward the gym.  He stopped at a coffee shop on the way to grab some caffeine.  Just as he was exiting, he heard someone call his name.

 

Ben was surprised when he turned to see Anna from _Soul Finders_ coming towards him.  "Oh, what a coincidence running into you here," she said with a friendly smile.  "Are you a student here too?"

 

Slightly uncomfortable, Ben said, "Um, yeah."

 

"It's funny because I just got your results today.  I was going to email you after lunch.  You've got a match!"

 

Ben's stomach tightened unpleasantly.  "I do?"

 

"A really good one.  Right here in Augsburg too.  I have the paperwork back at the office if you'd like to see it now," Anna offered.

 

Glancing down the road towards the gym, Ben hesitated.  He was mindful of the fact that they were targeting _Soul Finders_ because of their possible connection to a coven of witches.  He knew Hansel and Gretel would not approve of him going there without backup.

 

But he was also mindful of the fact that he was posing as a normal student.  It would be weird not to jump to get the results of his match, right?  He should go with Anna to keep his cover.

 

He suddenly wondered if that was necessary.  Hansel would not have left him if he honestly thought there was a chance Ben was in danger.

 

But they didn't know for certain that the new missing person's case was indeed related to the others.  It was best not to blow his cover just yet.

 

Offering Anna a half-hearted smile, Ben said, "Sure.  That would be great."

 

Anna led the way back to the _Soul Finders_ office, chatting all the way.  She mostly talked about how lucky Ben was to get a match so fast and how definitive the match was.

 

Ben listened with half an ear, feeling the knot in his stomach grow.  His earlier uncertainty about finding his Soulmate returned.  He wasn't sure he wanted to know who his Soulmate was -- not if it meant nothing would ever happen with Hansel, Gretel, or Mina -- but he was also really curious and a little hopeful.  A Soulmate should be a perfect fit.  There shouldn't be a reason to worry because whoever Ben's Soulmate was, it had to be someone who would understand his need to be a hunter.  They wouldn't be a good fit otherwise.

 

His worry consumed him so that he did not at first notice that something was wrong.  Even though it was a little early for lunch, it made sense that the office would be closed with Anna out to eat.  Still, it gave Ben pause to see the door locked and the lights off.  He hadn't anticipated being alone with Anna.  He figured the receptionist or the other technician at least would be there.

 

"Um, maybe I should come back another time," Ben said.

 

"It will only take a minute," Anna said, unlocking the door.

 

Ben still wasn't sure, but Anna didn't seem to notice.  She left Ben in the door and headed towards her office.  Looking behind him, Ben saw that the street was quiet but not empty.

 

"Here we are."  Anna returned with a folder.  She put it on the receptionist's desk and turned on a light so Ben would be able to see it.

 

She gave him an encouraging look, clearly expecting him to be anxious to see the results of the matching.

 

Ben looked at the folder warily, once again feeling completely torn about whether or not he wanted to know the answers within it.  He slowly moved closer.

 

Two feet from the desk, the door behind him suddenly slammed shut.  He tried to whirl around but something hit him in the chest and he found he was frozen in place.

 

Moving his eyes in the direction the blast had come from, he saw a woman emerging from the shadows.  She was wearing a black dress and holding a wand but her face was lovely rather than rotten.

 

"Good work, Anna," the woman praised.  Ben glanced in Anna's direction.  No longer sporting a perky smile, her face dissolved into the grotesque features Ben had seen on other witches and his heart began to beat wildly.

 

Sneering, Anna said, "Finally, Muriel.  I thought it would never be over.  If I had to smile at one more simpering fool, I was going to burn the whole city down."

 

"There will be time for burning very soon.  You've done your part."  Muriel moved closer to Ben.  He wanted to flinch back when she traced a fingernail against his cheek.  "We have everything we need now."

 

Ben tried to speak, tried to yell.  The best he could do was a gargling sound, which made Anna cackle.  Ben's focus remained on Muriel.  She was close enough that he could smell the scent of decay that betrayed her lovely face.

 

"Sweet dreams, Benjamin Walser," Muriel said.  "They'll be the last you ever have."

 

Another blast from her wand sent Ben into consciousness.

 

*****

 

Ben woke up at a sharp slap to his face.  Disoriented and confused, Ben didn't at first understand where he was.

 

"Time to wake up, boy."

 

Muriel's annoyed voice brought everything back.  She was standing near enough that he was sure she'd been the one to slap him.

 

Looking around wildly, Ben took everything in.  He was in a large room, and his heart sunk when he saw it looked industrial.  Gretel and Hansel were staking out a farm.  The dirty windows set high in the ceiling didn't show much but Ben could tell it was night now.  He wondered if he had been unconscious for a few hours or an entire day.  If it was the latter, then the Blood Moon was tonight.

 

Trying to move, Ben found his hands securely tied to a frame and his feet tied together.  He felt cold and saw that his shirt had been ripped open and his pants pulled down indecently.  It left him completely exposed but he knew it was his Soulmark the witches were interested in.

 

A muffled noise had Ben looking to his left.  He found another young man tied up as he was, and Ben had a better sense of the wooden frame he was attached to.  It appeared to be an X made of two solid wooden beams.  It was firmly attached to the ground and covered in stained blood.

 

The young man tied up there was similarly disheveled.  Remnants of his shirt hung on the right side of his chest.  His Mark was prominent on his left collarbone.  A gag kept him from doing more than grunting.

 

"I'm so glad you've decided to join us." Muriel glided from Ben's side to that of the other young man.  He flinched when she got near, and Ben could see the anger and fear in his eyes.

 

Realizing that the earlier spell to keep him silent was no longer in effect, Ben said, "What are you doing?  What do you want with us?"

 

"Didn't Gretel tell you?" Muriel's tone was mocking, and Ben's heart sank in his chest.  "Or was Hansel keeping you in the dark again?  Perhaps the little White Witch thinks you're too young to play Hunters and Witches?  I think you know more than you're letting on."

 

Muriel knew far too much for Ben's comfort.  He could see there was no point in playing ignorant.  "We know about the Blood Moon.  They'll stop you.  Whatever you're up to, Gretel and Hansel will take you down."

 

Ben tried to sound as confident as he could while tied up with his dick hanging out and knowing that Gretel and Hansel were looking in the wrong spot.  He tried to remember all the times they'd gone down the wrong path before but figured it out in the end.  He had faith Gretel and the others would figure this out too.

 

He just hoped it would be in time.

 

Muriel offered a predator's smile.  Her attention was still on Ben but she brought her wand up to slide the tip over the young man's chest.

 

"Whatever I'm up to?" She chuckled.  "I'm not surprised to find your little group of hunters has been stumbling in the dark.  As usual.  You're in luck though.  I'm quite happy to clear up the mystery."

 

She dug her wand into the young man's chest and he let out a muffled yell.  With her other hand, she signaled to someone behind Ben.  Anna and another witch walked over to Muriel.  Ben recognized the receptionist with the spiky hair.  Anna favored him with a smug look as she passed him.  Both witches were holding something in their hands.  Anna held what looked like an urn while the spiky-haired witch held a large glass jar.

 

"I'm sure the White Witch told you about the power of a Soulmark."

 

"She said witches have to consume them because they're too twisted to have their own." The words were out of Ben's mouth before he thought them through.  It probably wasn't best to talk about consuming Soulmarks when he was currently bound and his own Mark was on display.

 

The young man struggled even more upon hearing this, and Ben winced. 

 

Muriel just smirked.  She finally moved away to let Anna and the spiky-haired witch work on the young man.  Ben tried to see what they were doing but Muriel partially blocked his view.

 

"Yes, witches do not have Soulmarks.  Would it surprise you to learn that they can still have Soul _mates_?"

 

Ben's focus snapped completely to Muriel.  "What?"

 

"Oh, yes.  I thought that would get your attention."  Muriel came even closer so she could now drag her wand on Ben's chest.  He tensed when it first touched him but nothing happened.  It felt no different than having a stick touching him.

 

The threat was there though -- no different than having a knife gently sliding over his skin.

 

"True witches would never be tainted by such a thing as a Soulmate, but White Witches can sometimes be burdened with them.  I'm going to tell you a little story, Benjamin.  Something to pass the time while we wait for the Blood Moon."

 

A sharp yell had Ben turning to see Anna now with a knife.  She was using it to cut around the young man's Mark.  It didn't look like she was trying to cut it off, at least not right at that moment.  Ben wasn't sure what she was up to, and he could only watch helplessly as the young man struggled fruitlessly to free himself.

 

Oblivious to the pained noises behind her, Muriel said, "Once upon a time, there was an extremely powerful Grand White Witch.  She had lived for centuries helping humans in whatever way she could.  But she lived alone.  She knew how capricious humans could be.  One wrong word and it would be so easy for her to end up bound to a stake.  She had the power to wipe them all out but she would never do that.  She would rather burn than harm a human."

 

Muriel's lips twisted into a disgusted sneer, and Ben could see that she was deeply revolted by this notion.  It was only a moment though, and she continued her story in the same calm tone of voice.

 

"One day, the Grand White Witch met her Soulmate.  She did not bear a Mark but he did.  I can imagine it was a comedy of errors as they figured out they were meant to be.  Humans are such pathetic creatures.  You have the very proof of your unions on your skin but you still spend your days blindly groping to find each other.  And, should something come along that is unexpected, your minds are too dim to accept it."

 

She used her free hand to jab her finger painfully into Ben's forehead.  Instinctively, he pressed back and rotated his head to escape her touch.  She allowed it.

 

"Fortunately, a witch's magic can clear everything up.  So it did with the Grand White Witch.  She used a Spell of Heaven to complete the bond, which gave her a Mark of her own.  The pair Bonded and were very happy."

 

A sharp yell had Ben once again turning to see the young man struggling.  Ben couldn't see what had made him yell because the spiky-haired witch was standing in front of him.  She didn't obstruct Ben's ability to see the way the young man's face twisted in pain though.

 

"They lived an unnaturally long life together," Muriel said.  "They had been married over fifty years when they decided to complete their family.  Two children followed: a boy and a girl.  It was all so very perfect."

 

Her tone had taken on a vicious edge.  "When the boy and girl were still young, I decided to give the Grand White Witch a little visit.  Naturally, I had to protect myself against her unfounded attacks so I stole her husband one night and sent word for her to bring the children if she wanted his return.  I wasn't surprised when she showed up alone.  With her Soulmate in my hands, it was easy enough to subdue her."

 

Muriel's expression shifted once again, and Ben could see that whatever happened hadn't gone her way.  "I had anticipated that the Grand White Witch would not bring the children.  I had planned for that.  One of my coven was sent to get the children while I played with their parents.  I hadn't anticipated that those brats would be able to kill her."

 

This caught Ben's attention.  Hansel and Gretel said they had begun witch hunting when their parents disappeared one day.  A witch had come to their house with candy and promise of news.  They had been caught and taken to a shack in the middle of nowhere.  Their innate protection to witchcraft had allowed them to get the upperhand and kill the witch in her own oven.

 

"Yes, the very same," Muriel said, seeing the recognition in Ben's eyes.  "Hansel and Gretel.  The most famous witch hunters of this age.  Children of a Grand White Witch."

 

Ben's mind spun with the implications of this news.  It all made sense now.  Gretel and Hansel had never found any trace of their parents.  They did not know where their immunity to dark magic came from.  Not even Mina could figure it out.

 

"Naturally, I eliminated the Grand White Witch and her Soulmate.  I found Gretel and Hansel eventually but they were of no use then.  So, I waited until they were."

 

"Use for what?" Ben asked.  "What do you want?"

 

"Haven't you been listening?  Your hunters are the children of witches, and witches do not have Soulmarks.  But they _can_ have Soulmates."

 

Ben's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat in a sudden hope.  Muriel was watching him closely.  She smirked when she saw his reaction.  With her wand, she gestured across Ben to a table by the wall.  Ben looked and saw a bunch of ceremonial cups and herb jars and the other paraphernalia of witch spells.  Propped up in the middle of the table was an ancient spellbook.

 

"A little bit of magic," Muriel said.  "It was easy enough to figure out who they were Bonded to.  Imagine my surprise to learn they were Bonded to the same person.  Even more surprising when that very person walked into the little operation I was using to gather the necessary ingredients for my spell."

 

Now, Muriel turned around to look at the young man.  Ben could see his chest was covered in blood from the deep cut around his Soulmark.  Some kind of muddy paste had been smeared over his skin but otherwise Ben couldn't see what had him writhing so violently.

 

"The Grand White Witch was kind enough to show us that a Spell of Heaven can be modified.  We had thought such spells could never be used by true witches.  The protections painted on holy sites would always keep us out.  But no more."

 

Her eyes lit up with glee as she gestured to Anna.  Ben watched in horror as Anna took a lit candle and set the flame against the muddy substance.  It instantly caught fire and spread.

 

Ben couldn't watch.  He closed his eyes but he could not block out the gagged screams or the horrid smell that reached his nose.

 

There was such satisfaction in Muriel's tone as she spoke.  "The Blood Moon is tomorrow.  The world will be plunged into darkness for a few minutes, and that darkness will give us strength enough to perform the ultimate spell.  Witches everywhere will be immune to holy spells.  Our magic will penetrate the strongest of holy defenses.  We can walk boldly into holy shrines from one end of the world to the other.  We will finally take our rightful place as rulers of this world, and no longer live like maggots in the ground."

 

The screams finally stopped, and Ben cautiously opened his eyes.  What remained of the young man was too generous to be called a body.  Only the skin of the man's Mark remained untouched.

 

Ben felt nauseous as the next few minutes found the spiky-haired witch opening up the corpse to take out the man's heart.  She put it in the jar she'd brought.

 

When she was finished, Anna finally cut off the unblemished Mark.  The moment she did, the burnt shell of the man turned to dust.  It floated in the air and then drifted into the urn.  Only the blood on the ground betrayed that anyone had been there.

 

"The final ingredient," Muriel said.  She was smiling with satisfaction, and Ben had never hated anything as much as her in that moment.

 

"You're sick.  You can do that to me but it wouldn't save you.  Hansel and Gretel will stop you."

 

Muriel laughed.  "Do that to you?  I thought you'd done more research than that.  We needed twelve Soulmarks and now we have them."

 

She gestured with her hand to the spiky-haired witch, who was holding the heart-in-the-jar.  Ben had to crane his neck to watch her take the jar to a cabinet on the wall.  When she opened it, he saw it was filled with other jars.

 

Twelve in all.

 

"I see I'm going to have to spell it out for you," Muriel said.  While he'd been looking over his shoulder, she'd leaned over him.  He turned to find her far too close for comfort.  "Gretel and Hansel are your Soulmates."

 

"That's not possible.  People don't have more than one Soulmate."  Ben didn't know if that was really true but he didn't like having Muriel so close.  She smelled awful, and he was painfully aware of how vulnerable he was.  He tugged at his own bonds and kicked his legs uselessly, not wanting to know what they had in store for him.

 

Muriel sneered.  "You are a pathetic excuse for a witch's mate, even a Grand White Witch's spawn.  What do you know of Soulmarks?  There are as many kinds of Soulbonds as there are people to bear them."

 

"What do _you_ know of it?" Ben shot back.  "Dark witches will never know what it is to have a Soulmate.  You will never understand the full power of a Soulbond.  Your spell will never make you strong enough to overcome a fully Bonded Soulmark."

 

The slap to his face was sharp and stinging but it just vindicated Ben.  He'd guessed right.  Dark witches chased after the power inherent in a Soulmark.  It must be bitter indeed that they would never have access to that power, no matter how they tried to pervert and twist it.

 

Muriel grabbed Ben by the chin, her fingers digging into his cheeks.  Her face was very close as she said, "We have no need for Soulmarks.  A Soulmate is nothing but a liability."

 

She let go of him with a snap that shoved his head back violently.  "You're going to prove that for me."

 

Striding over to the table, she set down her wand and picked up a chalice.  "You may be the Soulmate of two hunters but you are very human.  They haven't Bonded with you yet.  You don't have their protections.  Just as Adrianna fell to me when I had her Mate, you will help me undo Gretel and Hansel."

 

Anna and the spiky-haired witch were suddenly at Ben's side.  The spiky-haired witch pulled his head back by the hair while Anna was suddenly shoving something in his mouth.  It happened so suddenly that Ben couldn't stop him.  The thing in his mouth kept it from closing.  He couldn't spit it out.

 

Muriel grabbed his chin again to keep him still as she poured the liquid in the chalice down his throat.  Ben choked and struggled.  A lot of the liquid ended up on his face and chest.  But he couldn't keep from swallowing some of it.

 

He'd never tasted anything so vile.  It smelled noxious and he desperately wanted to throw it up.

 

That wasn't an option.  The liquid oozed into him like a burning poison.  He could feel it sliding down into his gut where the warmth radiated like a painful liquor.

 

He howled as soon as he could breathe again.

 

Muriel smirked at his distress.  "I'm going to strip the Mark right out from you.  This potion will eat away at it, leaving your soul vulnerable.  Tomorrow, at the height of the Blood Moon, I will unmake a Soulmark.  I will finally gain its power."

 

Sharp fingernails stabbed into Ben's own Mark and he screamed in pain.  "Let's see how effective Gretel and Hansel are when you are no more than a wraith doomed to do my bidding."

 

Tears of pain pricked Ben's eyes but he could only focus on the burning agony centered on his hip.  Even when Muriel let go, the pain remained.

 

"My sisters from across the globe will be arriving soon so I must depart.  But don't worry.  Anna will keep you company.  I'm sure you will agree; tomorrow can't come quickly enough."

 

Muriel was so smug, and Ben wanted nothing more than to wipe the smirk off her face.  He struggled uselessly against the tight rope holding him in place and only managed to abrade his skin.

 

As Muriel and the spiky-haired witch departed, the realization of how incredibly screwed he was sank in.  He couldn't get free.  The others didn't know where he was.  His very soul was in danger.

 

Ben had never been more scared in his life, and he prayed that Hansel and Gretel wouldn't be too late to save him.

 

*****

 

The hours passed slowly.  Ben fluctuated between being able to scream and fight his bonds and hanging limply like a puppet.  The burning sensation gave way to an icy feeling.  It was a stabbing pain like pins and needles on steroids.  His whole body felt frozen and stiff.

 

Ben didn't know how long it took but there had definitely been a moment where he could actually feel himself begin to slip away.  He'd completely panicked when that had happened, fighting harder than ever.  It hadn't done any good.

 

His thoughts were fuzzy and distant to him now, and it was difficult to keep track of everything.  He struggled now to just hold on, but it wasn't clear any more why he should.

 

He was aware of what was going on.  Sunshine labored through the dirty windows and then slipped away as darkness again fell.  Muriel and the other witch returned with a huge demon.  They used magic to keep Ben from moving as they finally cut him down.  The demon grabbed him and carried him out the door.

 

Ben saw that they were in a large abandoned factory.  The main floor was completely empty of equipment, which left a sizable space for the many witches who now filled the area.  They jeered and mocked Ben as the demon brought him to another wooden frame set in the middle of a circle.  Ben would see Anna and the spiky-haired witch setting out the heart-jars around the circle.  Before each one was a small statue.  They looked like gargoyles holding plates.  On each one was the Soulmark the witches had taken from their twelve victims.

 

Ben tried to muster some kind of outburst.  He knew that the clock counting down his doom was reaching its end.  If he didn't get free soon, his soul would be irrevocably twisted and he would be transformed into a wraith.

 

It all felt so distant though.  Hours spent in agony had drained his strength.  The seeping cold had sapped him of his spirit.  There was just enough of him left to know that he didn't want this -- to scream uselessly in his own head to do something.

 

He couldn't muster the energy to even care that his pants were still down.

 

Once more affixed to a wooden frame, Ben's opportunity to escape had slipped away.  He was the center of attention for dozens of witches, all eager for his final destruction and the power it would give them.

 

Ben could only slump in his bonds.  He didn't even have the energy to stand on his own two feet.

 

Naturally, Muriel gave a speech.  "Tonight is the night of our triumph, my sisters."  Cheers went up from some witches while others jeered at Ben. "No longer will we have to fear the sun.  No longer will humans have safe harbor to hide from us.  We shall finally have our due."

 

She went on, but Ben had no stomach for it.  His eyes were unfocused and his breathing was growing more difficult.  There was a large window at the end of the factory floor.  It was large enough that Ben could see the moon outside.  He could see it slowly turning red.

 

A part of him was wailing in fear and frustration but mostly the icy feeling just sunk itself deeper into him.  Everything was falling away.

 

The percussion of an explosive going off was enough to wake him up.  Still perceiving things as if from a great distance, Ben watched as a hail of bullets was unleashed on the crowd of witches.  Many were cut to ribbons instantly.

 

Ben could not see who was firing the bullets.  A few witches boldly flew up in the direction of the gun but they were cut down.

 

Another explosion lit up the area.  Ben knew these bombs.  They were filled with purified Greek Fire, sticking to whatever they hit and setting it alight.  It was something Hansel liked to use.  Right now, they were targeting clumps of witches with surgical precision.

 

Many witches fled and there was a sudden confusion.  Yesterday, Ben would've been fascinated by everything going on.  Now, the cold continued to solidify inside him and his focus was on the Blood Moon.  Muriel might not get her spell but that didn't mean Ben was in the clear.

 

Something suddenly poking under his chin brought Ben's focus back to the factory floor.  Muriel was using him as a shield, her wand pressing painfully into his throat.

 

"Ben!" Hansel and Gretel were in front of him.  The bodies of witches were scattered everywhere amid burning wreckage.

 

"Not one more step or your pet dies," Muriel said.

 

Hansel and Gretel paused.  "What did you do to him?" Hansel demanded.

 

Muriel's answer was to use her free hand to again dig her nails into Ben's Mark.  Ben felt the pain distantly and didn't react.

 

Hansel and Gretel did.  They both doubled over and touched their hips on the left side of their bodies -- right where Ben's Mark was.

 

"So stupid.  You should have claimed him when you had the chance.  He's mine now!  And there's nothing you can do about it," Muriel said.

 

Lightening quick, Muriel shifted the wand from under Ben's throat to direct it at his Mark.  Blue light zipped from the wand to his hip.  Gretel and Hansel both fell to their knees.

 

"You weren't careful enough.  Do you think it was by accident that you were tipped off to the disappearances of the Soulmarked?  Or that you learned of the symbols on the farm that led you away from your Mate's side just when I was ready for him?  Did you really think killing a vampire nest would be so simple?  You make it so easy to mop up your blood after the fact.  So easy to use in my potion."

 

The blue light kept streaming into Ben.  He knew it was causing him pain, but he didn't really feel it.  At most, it was clearing his head so he could understand what Muriel was saying.  But his hands were still tightly bound to the wooden frame.  His body felt paralyzed.

 

"The Blood Moon may be over but I can be patient.  I have you three now.  With your pet in my grasp, I have complete control over you.  We'll just wait for the next Blood Moon."

 

She sounded smug once more.  Ben watched as Gretel tried to resist the pain coursing through her and aim her gun.  Muriel saw it.  A quick flash of blue light, a sudden burst of pain in Ben's Mark, and both Gretel and Hansel cried out.

 

Inside, Ben felt that last bit of him that had fought to hold on quail in despair.

 

A sudden golden blast from the left surprised everyone.  Ben felt it like a blast of warm air, as if someone had opened an oven.  Muriel made a noise and was abruptly no longer behind him.

 

Turning his head, Ben saw Mina standing with her own wand outstretched.  "Quickly!" she called.  Gretel and Hansel recovered immediately, and were immediately on their feet racing after Muriel.

 

The warmth was gone as quickly as it came, making Ben feel even colder in its absence.  The battle moved behind him.  He could hear the zip of magic and the thud of bodies when they hit the floor.  He could hear grunts and yells.  He even heard the gurgling when Muriel struggled to breathe.

 

All he could do was stand there and wait.  There was still a part of him that wanted to free himself and help -- who desperately wanted this chance to prove himself.

 

The cold was winning out though.  He could feel himself slipping further and further away.  He tried to focus on fighting but there didn't seem to be anything he could do to stop it.

 

"Ben!"

 

Mina was at his side before the others.  Her touch felt like being branded, and she hissed at how cold he was.  "Ben?"  She raised his head to make eye contact but Ben was a rag-doll in her hands.

 

Hansel and Gretel appeared a moment later.  "Ben?  Answer me," Gretel said as she and Hansel began cutting Ben down.

 

Ben had no answer, flopping forward the moment he was free.  Hansel caught him and surreptitiously pulled Ben's pants up.  If Ben had been more himself, he would probably be grateful not to have his dick out in front of Gretel and Mina.

 

Right now, he felt so disconnected that it took all his power to even realize who Mina and Gretel were.

 

"What's wrong?  What did she do to him?" Hansel demanded.  He turned Ben around in his arms so he was holding Ben from behind, letting Mina and Gretel examine him.

 

"We killed Muriel.  Shouldn't the magic reverse now that she's dead?" Gretel said.

 

They both looked to Mina to fix this.  Mina's worried expression did not comfort Ben.  "This is something different."  Her hands ghosted over him, careful not to actually touch.  Behind him, Hansel felt like a furnace.  Hansel didn't say anything about how cold it must feel to hold Ben like this.

 

When her examination came to Ben's Mark, Mina stopped.  "His Mark.  It's fading away."

 

Head lolling on his shoulder, Ben could see what she meant.  His silvery Mark was barely visible on his skin.

 

"What does that mean?" Gretel demanded.

 

Mina looked genuinely scared as her eyes met Ben's.  "I don't know."

 

Timing was passing too quickly.  Ben's own fear tried to break through the ice.  He should be safe in Hansel's arms right now.  Gretel and Mina were there, anxious to help.  He had to do his part.  He had to give them a clue.

 

It took all of himself to wrench out, "Spell . . . Heaven."

 

Mina understood enough to frown.  "Spell of Heaven?  What about it?"

 

Trying to flop his head in the direction of the exit, Ben slowly sounded out each letter of, "Spellbook."

 

Gretel and Mina needed no further prompting.  Ben had no idea how long they were in the factory before they'd attacked the witches but he knew they tended to scout out an area before a hunt.  They might have found the room he'd been kept in.

 

Even if they hadn't, they now moved quickly to discover it.  Hansel swung Ben up into his arms and followed after at a slower pace.  This was the most comfortable Ben had felt since Muriel had woken him up yesterday.

 

"Hey!" Hansel bounced him a bit.  "Don't sleep.  Keep fighting, kid.  We'll figure this out.  Just stay awake a little longer."

 

When Hansel finally caught up to the women, they were already flipping through Muriel's spellbook.

 

"I think . . . I think I know what she was trying to do," Mina said slowly.

 

Gingerly, Hansel set Ben on the ground.  He didn't let go of him, sitting down too and once again propping him up from behind.  "What?"

 

"She was trying to destroy Ben's Soulmark.  It would be the ultimate act of desecration to thwart the will of Heaven in this manner.  To do so, she had to redefine Ben's nature.  He is becoming a wraith.  When his Soulmark fades completely, the process will be irreversible."

 

"Well, how do we reverse it?" Hansel demanded.  His arms momentarily tightened around Ben's chest while Mina spoke of him becoming a wraith.

 

Mina shook her head.  "His Mark is almost gone.  The only thing I can think of would be to complete it.  We'd need his Soulmate for that.  The healthy Mark of his Soulmate should counteract the damage of the spell."

 

"The witch said we should have claimed Ben when we had the chance," Gretel said thoughtfully.  "Do you think one of us could be Ben's Soulmate?"

 

"We don't have Soulmarks," Hansel said.

 

It was an absolute trial for Ben to say, "You do."

 

"We do?  What do you mean, Ben?" Gretel asked.  To his frustration, Ben couldn't explain himself.  He could barely keep his eyes open.

 

"Ben says we do," Hansel said.  "So, we do.  Can you use that Mina?  Which one of us has the Mark?"

 

Gretel shuffled a little closer to Ben and reached out to touch his hip where his Mark was still visible.  "We were both affected when the witch hit--"

 

The instant Gretel's fingers touched Ben's fading Mark, pain ripped through him.  Hansel grunted behind him and Gretel pulled back as if stung.

 

"The dark witch said she had access to your blood," Mina said.  "She must have used it in the spell she cast.  She is blocking you out.  Both of you."

 

Gretel bunched her hands into fists.  "Then what do we do?  How do we fix this?"

 

Ben had never seen Gretel look scared before.  He could feel the way Hansel clutched him tight.  Beside him, Mina's expression was absolutely heartbroken.

 

Willing all the effort he could manage, Ben managed to throw his arm in Mina's general direction.  "You too," he said when she took his hand in hers.

 

"I don't understand.  What do you mean 'me too'?" she asked.

 

Ben wanted to explain.  He wanted to say that he loved Mina just as much as Hansel and Gretel.  Muriel was so dismissive of White Witches.  She clearly hated Adrianna.  She hadn't given Mina a second thought when she'd used Ben as a shield, even though she must have known Mina was a part of their group.  She'd left herself wide open to Mina's attack.

 

She had taken Hansel and Gretel's blood but Mina rarely joined in on hunts.  Even if Muriel had suspected Mina might also be their Soulmate, Muriel didn't have access to Mina's blood to block her out.

 

Ben couldn't say any of that though.  His tongue remained firmly frozen in place and he could only make a sound of frustration.

 

Hansel caught on though.  "He means you're our Mate too, Mina."

 

Mina looked to barely contain a scoff.  "I am a witch.  Witches don't have Soulmates."

 

Ben shook his head as much as he was able, but that was all he could manage.  "No, I think he's right," Gretel said.  She glanced above Ben to make eye contact with Hansel.  Ben couldn't see Hansel's expression but he knew that silent communication when he saw it.

 

Reaching out to touch Mina's cheek, Gretel said, "When I didn't get a Soulmark, I figured it was because Hansel and I had each other and our mission.  That was all we needed.  But then you and Ben came along and . . . Surely you know how much we love you.  How can that be any less than what a Soulmate feels?"

 

Mina shook her head, looking lost.  "Do not tempt me so.  Witches do not have Soulmates.  We are not . . ."

 

Behind Ben, Hansel growled.  "Don't even finish that sentence."

 

Gretel nodded in agreement.  "We don't have time to debate this.  I know what I feel for the three of you.  If Ben is our Soulmate, then I think you are too."  Ben nodded as much as he was able.

 

"We have to try, Mina," Hansel said.

 

Mina looked torn, but Ben must have looked very bad because one look at him was enough to get her moving.  She grabbed the spellbook and her own wand.  Gingerly, she placed her hand over Ben's Mark.  It was close to invisible now, and he felt hollowed out.

 

Her touch was electric.  It felt different from the sharp pain he'd experienced when Gretel had touched his Mark.  It was not wholly comfortable as she felt so hot while he was so cold.  But her warmth settled into his skin, and the feeling passed.

 

Pressing close to Mina's side, Gretel put her hand over Mina's.  Hansel loosened one arm from around Ben's chest to place his hand over both of theirs.

 

With her free hand, Mina held her wand above their joined hands.  They had propped up the spellbook on Ben's legs.  Mina took a deep breath and began to recite the spell.

 

The first thing to happen was a golden light descended from her wand to their hands.  For a moment, it just warmed the area and combated the cold Ben was feeling but nothing more happened.

 

Suddenly, the warmth intensified painfully.  Mina's wand flew out of her hand, and Ben cried out in pain.

 

"Don't stop!" Hansel commanded.  Ben could feel how Mina's fingers fluttered against his skin but Gretel kept her from withdrawing.

 

There was only the slightest hesitation before Mina continued with the spell.  The intense pins and needles feeling came back with full force.  Heat combated the ice in Ben's veins, and the feeling was terrible.

 

He tried to focus on the hands covering his hip.  There was a strange feeling growing there.  He swore he could feel his energy flowing through him and up into Mina's palm or over to Gretel's fingertips on his skin or even to the arm Hansel had over his naked chest.

 

A connection was coming to life.  Something that had always been there but never been used before -- Ben could feel it now.

 

If the rest of him didn't feel so awful, he was sure the sensation would be wonderful.

 

Mina's wand was gone but the glow persisted.  It hovered over their joined hands as Mina worked her magic.  Ben felt blinded it by it.  Without realizing it, the world had become muted and dull as he'd slipped closer to being a wraith.  Now, the colors were vibrant and too much.

 

Turning his head, he buried his face against Hansel's neck.  Hansel had Ben's full weight against his chest.  He moved his free arm from Ben's chest to let his fingers slide into Ben's hair, keeping him still and offering comfort in the same movement.

 

Ben focused on breathing in Hansel's scent.  More and more, the cold feeling vanished.  The painful pins and needles swept through him and then dissipated.  He still felt exhausted but he could move more easily now.

 

When he felt almost like himself again, he moved his face from where he'd hidden it and looked again at his hip.  There was still a soft glow there but it no longer hurt his eyes.  Shakily, Ben lifted his hand and placed it above Hansel's.

 

The moment he did, there was a flare of light and energy.  Ben felt it zip through him like being hit with lightening.  Rather than being painful, it left his nerves buzzing.

 

Apparently, they'd all felt this.  The glow had disappeared and the spell appeared finished.  When the other three withdrew their hands, Ben was pleased to see that not only was his Mark returned to full color but there was more to it now.  The missing tear-drop was present and a ribbon appeared to snake between the four dots and trail off at an angle.

 

It looked a little like a silvery four-leaf clover.

 

"We did it!" Gretel augmented her enthusiastic shout by throwing her arms around Ben and giving him a firm hug.  Hansel grunted to have both of their weights on him at once but he wrapped his arms around his sister and his embrace was no less firm.

 

Ben actually couldn't breathe being pressed so tightly between them but the hug did not last long enough for that to be a problem.  Gretel pulled back, and she looked more relieved and happier than Ben had ever seen her before.

 

When Gretel sat back on her heels, Ben turned to look at Mina.  There were tears in her eyes and she looked absolutely shell-shocked as she examined the back of her hand.  Ben shifted so he could see what it was that had captivated her. 

 

There was something gold there.  Gently, Hansel took a hold of Mina's wrist and pulled it down so they could all see the new Mark there.  It looked exactly like Ben's except for the color.

 

Mina continued to stare dumbly at it.  "I never thought . . ."

 

Sliding her fingers under Mina's outstretched palm, Gretel took a hold of her hand.  This finally got Mina's attention.  When their eyes met, Gretel smiled.  She reached up with her free hand to cup Mina's cheek and leaned in to kiss her.

 

Ben's daydreams tended to cast himself in the lead role but he'd had a fantasy or two about Mina and Gretel together, so he was more than happy to watch their first kiss.  Hansel, though, had other ideas.

 

His arms once again tightened around Ben's chest and now it was his turn to bury his face in Ben's neck.  He took a deep breath and it was shaky coming out again.  "You scared the shit out of us, Ben."

 

"I'm sorry."  Ben twisted himself so he was on his side and could see Hansel better.  It was that same look he'd seen when he'd caught Hansel in the middle of a wrecked room -- a look Ben never wanted to see again.  Boldly, he pressed his own kiss to Hansel's lips.  He'd meant it as a comfort but Hansel's hand found its way into Ben's hair and he kissed back hard.  There was an edge of desperation in the kiss that broke Ben's heart.

 

When Hansel pulled away, Ben said, "I'm sorry.  I'm fine.  It's okay."

 

"Are you?"

 

At Mina's question, Ben turned back to find Mina and Gretel watching them.  Mina's expression was concerned.  Ben gave her question the weight it deserved, patting himself and looking at his Mark.

 

"I think so.  I'm certainly better than I was."  Ben did feel better.  However, when Gretel stood up and offered him a hand up, Ben found he was rather unsteady.  His whole body felt weak and tired.

 

"Careful, kid," Hansel said.  He put Ben's arm over his shoulder, letting Ben lean on him to keep him upright.

 

Mina gave him a once over before saying, "That kind of magic would do a number on anyone, but I think you will recover after a day's rest."

 

While she was speaking, Gretel was casually shifting her shirt this way and that.  "It's on your shoulder," Hansel said.  He pointed to her right shoulder.

 

"How do you know that?" she asked, even as she pulled the neck of her shirt wide enough to show a bit of bronze color.  Ben didn't know why but the sight of the Mark absolutely delighted him.  Maybe it was because he'd been the only one with a Mark so it felt like it was _his_ Mark they were wearing now.

 

"Same way you know where mine is," Hansel said.  He gave Gretel an expectant look.  She thought about it for a moment and then grabbed his wrist.  She pulled up his sleeve until they could see Hansel's Mark just below his elbow.  His was multi-colored, silver, bronze, copper, and gold.

 

He looked at it with his usual feigned detachment, but Ben caught his eyes slipping to it more than once.

 

Ben smiled.  His whole body felt like roadkill but he'd never been happier.  He was finally Bonded and it was exactly to who he wanted to be Bonded too.  He felt like he could fly.

 

One shaky step forward that almost had him faceplanting if not for Hansel's quick reaction was enough to temper his good mood.  "Come on, kid.  Let's get you home before you get in any more trouble."  Hansel's hold on him was tight, belying the aggrieved tone.

 

Gretel smiled to take the sting out of her brother's words anyway.  "I'm sure he's had enough of this place.  I think we'd all like to get out of here."

 

They waited only long enough for Mina to retrieve her wand and the spellbook.  With Hansel to lean on, Mina to grab the doors, and Gretel to watch their backs, Ben managed to make it outside without incident.

 

The fresh air felt wonderful, and he breathed it in while Gretel pulled her car around.  Mina slid into the passenger seat.  Curled up against Hansel in the back, Ben no longer fought his weariness.

 

He shut his eyes and slept soundly.

**Author's Note:**

> I want to give a huge thank you to my beta for her suggestions. All remaining mistakes are mine.
> 
> Title taken from _Macbeth_


End file.
